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1: GOOD NEWSWhat are we doing here?
Deliver Talk 1 using the notes below. These notes can also beA
downloaded in Word format from www.ceministries.orgto enableyou to adapt them fo r your group and add your own il lustr ations.
There is a bulleted talk outline on pageA 6 of the participants
Handbook. Encourage people to write notes next to this outline as
they listen to the talk.
Aim
To welcome people to the course.
To recognize and challenge participants preconceptions aboutChristianity.
To show that Christianity is good news about Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1).
To challenge the group to discover what that good news is by making
time to come to this course and by reading Marks Gospel.
Introduction
Whats the most beautiful sight youve ever seen?
For me it was probably (Give a personal story describing a staggering sight
of natural beauty.)
What would it be for you?
And when you saw what you saw, I wonder if you asked yourself the same
questions I did... what kind of power could have produced something so
achingly beautiful that it reduces a human being to sheer, wordless
wonder?
We live in an amazing world.
Millions of millions of miles above us, apparently, there are at least 100 billion
stars. And those are just the ones in our own Milky Way galaxy. The better our
technology gets, the more galaxies we see, but currently, scientists estimate
there are at least 100 billion galaxies in the universe.
And its not just the larger things in life that are truly remarkable its the
smaller things too.
Did you know there are 75 thousand miles of blood vessels crammed inside
us and there are at least 50 trillion cells. These are mind-blowing statistics!
If the DNA from a single human cell were stretched out, it would measure
about six feet in length.
So if the entire DNA contained within the cells of a single human being was
stretched out and laid end to end, it would reach all the way to the moon.
And back again. Eight thousand times.
Surely the sheer wonder of life should raise huge questions for us
Does the mindlessness of blind chance explain this amazing world?
How did life begin, without life to create it in the first place?
And even if I dodecide it all happened completely by chance, why is there
anything here at all? Why is there something... and not nothing?
The Bible unashamedly says that all this natural beauty and amazing intricacy
is meant to point us towards God, the one who created the extraordinary
scale and complexity of the universe we live in, and the bodies we inhabit.
But this is the point at which many people switch off. They may have caught
something of the marvel of creation, but Christianity leaves them cold.
Someone calculated that if you took all the people who sleep through church
services on a Sunday, and laid them end-to-end on the floor they would
be a lot more comfortable!
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Many people have cut the connection between life in all its wonder and
the Christian faith. So its important to say at the beginning of Christianity
Exploredthat we are well aware that many people find Christianity incredibly
dull, and entirely irrelevant.
You might be looking at Marks book and asking yourself: Whats the point
of reading something written 2000 years ago and 2000 miles away? espe-
cially if, as well as thinking it is boring and irrelevant, you are also pretty sure
that the contents of the Bible are untrue.
The Christianity Exploredcourse is designed by people who once felt that way
too. The course exists to clear away all the misconceptions about Christianity
so that you can examine the facts for yourself.
Thats why we begin with the very first sentence of Mark. It says this:
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ... (Mark 1:1).
If you think Christianity is all about churches, and rules leaving your brain at
the door and then having all your fun spoiled you have been misled.
Thats not what its about. The first sentence of Marks Gospel says that Chris-
tianity is about Christ, Jesus Christ.
The word Christ there isnt a surname; it is a title, like President or Prime
Minister. And it means Gods only chosen King. It was a dangerous word
for Mark to use at a time when the Roman Emperor was worshipped as
though he was a god.
To speak of Jesus as Gods only true representative on earth was the kind
of thing that got you thrown into the Coliseum to be torn apart by wild
animals.
Actually, Marks claim that Jesus is the Christ, Gods only chosen King, is just
as controversial today. I wonder what you make of it?
Mark says his book is The beginning of the gospelabout Jesus Christ. The
word gospel means good news.
I dont know how you answered the question about the best news you have
ever heard, but when Mark uses the phrase good news, he is speaking about
news that is so good, it is life-changing. Its like the news that war is over and
you are on the winning side.
So Mark 1:1 tells us that the gospel the exceptionally good news is all
about Jesus Christ.
I have to be honest and say that I understand those who find the Christian
faith useless, meaningless, unappealing or unbelievable. But the problem is
that, often, what they have written off is not the real thing.
I would be bored by some of the experiences on offer that go under the name
of Christianity.
Include a personal example here either of a boring or negativeA
experience of Christianity you once had, or the experience of someone
you know.
You may have had similar bad experiences of religion. If so, I hope you will
stick around to see how un-religious Jesus is. You may well be surprised by
the Jesus you encounter.
Christianity is about Christ
From this verse we know what Mark is notabout. It doesnt say the begin-
ning of the gospel about being religious, keeping rules and being miserable.
No, it says the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ.
It doesnt say the beginning of the gospel about throwing your brain out of
the window. You dont have to suspend your mental faculties to believe in
Jesus because he is a real person who lived and walked and talked in human
history. He is someone who can be investigated.
This is not the beginning of the gospel about old, ornate buildings, dusty
history and strange ways of dressing and speaking.
No, its about Jesus Christ. And when we look at him, the guessing games about
God stop. The God of the Bible is not someone we dreamed up! We arent going
to bore you with our theories about God. No, God has revealed himself to us.
God has shown us what he is like by sending his Son, Jesus Christ.
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Mark 1:1 is an invitation to read on and encounter the best news a person
could ever hear. If, at the moment, you dont think that Christianity is the best
and most thrilling news you have ever heard, can I say again that you must
have misunderstood it. And there are many who have done so.
Now that is a bold statement for me to make, but let me reassure you that
Christianity Explored isnt designed to indoctrinate people. Were running this
course to give you an opportunity to see the facts for yourself.
Will you test Marks claim?
The question is: Will you take the time to test Marks claim? Will you see for
yourself if he is telling you the best news ever?
The following true illustration shows how easily people can miss outA
on something thats great. If you have a personal illustration, or one
that is local to your area or culture, do use that instead.
Im sure youve had the experience of walking through (give the name ofyour towns main street) and being offered a leaflet which you refuse or
take and then ignore because you dont think itll do you any good.
Well, the British newspaper, the Evening Standard, once conducted an
experiment. They got a man to stand outside Oxford Circus station in cen-
tral London handing out leaflets. On the leaflet was the free offer of 5
for just bringing the leaflet back to the man.
Hordes of people passed him, and in three hours only eleven came back
for their 5. People assumed they knew what he was handing out and that
it would do them no good so they didnt bother to take it or read it.
My plea is that you dont make the same mistake with the Bible. If you want
to find out what God is like, and how youre supposed to relate to him, then
this (hold up a Bible or Marks Gospel) is all you need.
On this course we will discover from Marks Gospel who Jesus is, why he
came into the world, and what it means to follow him. This is big news, and
it is great news.
You could use this illustration:A
It is rather like admiring a car that is for sale, and the person who is
sell ing i t hands you the key and says you can test dr ive it for a few
weeks to put it through its paces, see how it works, and discover if
it is a car you would like to own.
On Christianity Exploredwe are saying: Here is Marks Gospel here is the
ignition key to Christianity. Take it for a test drive for seven weeks. Ask any
questions you like, put the Christian world-view through its paces, see how
it works, and discover if it makes sense of life in a way that nothing else
does.
Where Mark begins
If you have already given the group Bibles or copies of Marks Gospel,A
ask them to turn to Mark chapter 1. Give them the page number so
that no one need feel embarrassed about trying to find it.
Let me put the key in your hand as I introduce you to the unfolding drama
of Marks Gospel...
The opening section of Marks Gospel prepares us for an exceptional encounter.
In chapter 1, verses 2-3, Mark quotes from the Old Testament the part of the
Bible which covers the history of Gods dealings with humanity from creation
right through to the period before the coming of Jesus into the world.
Read Mark1:2-3]
These words were written over 700 years before Jesus was born! The point
Mark wants us to see is that the coming of Jesus into the world was not an
afterthought on Gods part. These verses show that this was always the plan.
As Jesus came into the world and began his ministry, Gods plan was being
fulfilled precisely and with amazing accuracy.
Mark introduces us to John often known as John the Baptist, because he
baptized people in the Jordan River. John came to prepare the way for Jesus,
as verse 4 shows.
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Read Mark 1:4]
His was the voice of one calling in the desertthat had been spoken about
hundreds of years earlier. Then notice verses 7-8:
Read Mark 1:7-8]
Marks sudden leap into the Old Testament shows that people had been wait-
ing a very long time for the person God was going to send. It is the equivalentto waiting at the airport for a long-overdue flight to arrive.
If possible include a personal example of waiting a long time for aA
flight that you really want to arrive. Eg: because it is bringing a family
member or friend youve not seen for several years.
You have almost given up hope, and then the blank arrivals screen comes to
life with an announcement of an expected arrival, in red; and then finally, in
green, the word landed appears.
Thats what Mark is telling us. God had promised to send a King. We have
the Old Testament prophecies which point forward to the exact place andnature of his coming.
Mark shows us how John the Baptist came, quite suddenly, to say the arrival
on earth of Gods King was expected and imminent. And then verses 9-11
are the green landed sign.
What happens when Gods King arrives
Read Mark1:9-11]
This is an astonishing start. We are told that heaven gets torn open; the Holy
Spirit comes down on Jesus like a dove; and God the Father announces: You
are my Son.
Clearly Jesus is the more powerful one of whom John spoke in verse 7.
I need to tell you that encountering Gods promised King Jesus in Marks
Gospel takes us into a whole different realm. But I would encourage you to
realize that exceptional events beyond human ability are bound to be part of
the scene when God the Son steps into human flesh and comes to the world
he has made.
If Jesus is just a human, then what we read is unbelievable. But if he is God in
human flesh, then it should not surprise us when staggering things happen.
Supernatural things.
The best news in the world
And dont miss the big point here. John the Baptist tells us in verse 8 that
Jesus came to baptize people in the Holy Spirit. That means to bring ordinary
people like us into the life-giving, life-changing power of God.
Johns ministry had its limit he baptized with water. Mark tells us that...
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went
out to him (Mark 1:5).
The people flocked to John because if God was coming, they needed to be
ready. They knew from their own experience that they were not the people
they wanted to be, let alone the people God wanted them to be.
So John offered them baptism with water, as a sign of being washed clean,
of being forgiven.
When the person was lowered into the water, it was a symbol of dying to
their old way of living, and when they were lifted out of the water, it was
a symbol of being raised to new life. But John knew that the Lord himself
would offer them and us so much more.
I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy
Spirit (Mark 1:8).
What John is saying is absolutely stunning. He is claiming that Jesus Christ
will not only offer complete forgiveness to all those who put their trust in
him. He will also fill those people with Gods Holy Spirit, who will radically
transform their lives.
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To those who know they are not the people they want to be, let alone the
people God wants them to be, this is the best, the most remarkable news in
the world.
And let me reassure you that if all this seems a bit too much for Session 1, in
his first chapter Mark is giving us a glimpse of the end of the process, Gods
Spirit coming to live in us.
It is as though he meets us at the factory gates where the finished product
leaves. He shows us the end of the process. But he will take us along the
assembly line and explain step by step who Jesus is, how much we need him
and how we can have a full and joyful relationship with him.
And that is exactly what Christianity Exploredis all about. At the heart of the
gospel message is the astonishing truth that God has not remained distant
but has come to us in the person of Jesus Christ.
Christianity is Christ. The real Jesus is worth meeting. Thats why Christianity
is worth exploring.
So, how do you feel about taking a seven-week test drive?
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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2: IDENTITYWho is Jesus?
Deliver Talk 2 using the notes below. These notes can also beA
downloaded in Word format from www.ceministries.orgto enableyou to adapt them for your group and add your own i llust rations.
There is a bulleted talk outline on pageA 13 of the participants
Handbook. Encourage people to write notes next to this outline as
they listen to the talk.
Aim
To help the group see the evidence for the unique identity of Jesus.
To show that Jesus has the power and authority of God.
To challenge group members to consider the implications of this for their
own lives.
Introduction
Start with an illustration about how you have mistaken the identity ofA
someone and it led to you t reating them wrongly or ignoring them. I f
you do not have a story of your own, then use this t rue i llus trat ion:
Have you ever completely missed who someone is until its too late? The
creator of Christianity Explored, Rico Tice, was once invited to a lunch. As
he waited outside the room, he found himself opposite a young man who
looked vaguely familiar. For five minutes neither said a word, although the
young man looked as if he expected Rico to speak to him. But Rico didnt
know who he was, so said nothing. It was only as the young man left that
Rico discovered his identity Prince William, the future king of England.
Rico stood opposite Prince William for five minutes and didnt say a word.
Because he didnt recognize him, he just saw a young man. He didnt see
the future king, so he didnt take the opportunity to relate to him.
If we get someones identity wrong, well relate to them in the wrong way.
This week on Christianity Exploredwell look at what Marks Gospel tells us
about the identity of Jesus, and why Mark is convinced that Jesus is Gods
only chosen King. And its important for us to get this Kings identity right
otherwise well relate to him in the wrong way, or even ignore him com-
pletely.
Last week we saw that Mark starts his book with the words:
The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1).
Mark is saying that the message about Jesus is good news about the
Christ, Gods only chosen King. Thats quite a claim, so Mark backs it up in
the first few chapters of his book. He piles up the evidence for who Jesus is.
Were going to look at five ways that Mark reveals Jesus identity. Five exam-
ples of evidence that point to the conclusion that Jesus really is Gods only
chosen King.
1. Jesus had power and authority to teach
Mark tells us what happened when Jesus went to the Jewish place of wor-
ship, the synagogue:
Read Mark 1:21-22]
What set Jesus apart from the other teachers was the way he taught. The
teachers of the law didnt come up with their own material. They only everdealt in second-hand goods. They relied on the great teachers of the past,
and just quoted them or gave their opinions of what those previous teachers
had said.
But when Jesus came along and began to teach, the people were staggered.
He taught things theyd never heard before. Mark says they were amazed at
the personal authority with which he taught. They were hearing the word
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of God from the lips of the Son of God. And they were hearing it taught
by someone who also lived it out. Listening to Jesus was like a light being
switched on in the darkness.
Thats why the people who heard him were amazed at his words, and
asked each other: What is this? A new teaching and with authority!
(Mark 1:27).
Clearly, Jesus could teach but did he also live out what he taught?
You could include an illustration here of someone who says one thingA
but is then found to have done something completely different. For
example a religious leader who has an affair, or a politician who steals
government funds .
Weve all come across hypocrites who say one thing but do another. But Jesus
wasnt like that. For example, he taught: Love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you(Matthew 5:44). Later, as he was being killed, he
prayed for his executioners: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing(Luke 23:34). Now that is practising what you preach.
Here was a teacher who taught with power and authority. And who also lived
out what he taught.
But Jesus wasnt just a teacher
2. Jesus had power and authority over sickness
Weve seen what happened when Jesus went intothe synagogue and started
to teach. Mark then tells us what happened when he left:
Read Mark 1:29-31
]Heres Jesus demonstrating absolute authority over sickness. Just a touch of
his hand and the fever is cured. And this is not an isolated incident either.
The Bible has over thirty examples of Jesus healing people. And as a result:
the deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are healed and restored.
Mark also tells us that Jesus cured people of spiritual suffering as well as
physical suffering releasing people from demonic oppression.
Now, the people of the time were obviously convinced that Jesus had extraor-
dinary ability to heal. In Mark 1:45 we read that they came to him from
everywhere.
No one, not even Jesus enemies, doubted his power. His enemies wanted to
discredit him, but couldnt deny the power he had. The evidence points to
genuine, God-like healing ability.
These are astonishing miracles. But if Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God
breaking into history, isnt this what youd expect to see?
But Jesus wasnt just a teacher and healer
3. Jesus had power and authority over nature
Lets think back to the story we talked about together the story of Jesus
calming the storm.
Isnt it amazing in this story to see the genuine humanity of Jesus? He is a real
flesh-and-blood man. And here we see him in the stern of the boat, sleeping
on a cushion. He is exhausted. But is he justa man?
The word translated furious squall can literally mean a whirlwind. The boat
was nearly swamped. So the disciples woke Jesus and complained: Teacher,
dont you care if we drown?(v 38).
Now several of the disciples were hardened fishermen. Theyd sailed on Lake
Galilee hundreds of times. If they think theyre going to die, it must be seri-
ous.
Notice that they call him teacher. They know that Jesus speaks with author-
ity. And they know he can heal the sick. So he has power but does he care?
That was their question: Teacher, dont you care if we drown?
What happens next is amazing:
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He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, Quiet! Be
still! Then the wind died down and i t was completely calm (Mark
4:39).
Do you see what were being presented with here? Jesus not only has author-
ity with people and over illness. In this instance, he speaks and the forces of
nature which have no ears to listen, and no brain to understand His com-
mand respond instantly.
Jesus actually does two things here:
He stops the wind, which is the causeof the storm.
He calms the waves, which are the resultof the storm.
You could include a practical illustration here. For example, suggestA
this to the group:
Next time you fill a bowl of water to wash some dishes, try rocking the
bowl to make some waves. Then stop the rocking and watch what hap-
pens. Even though the bowl has stopped, the water doesnt. It continues
to move from side to side for a long time. The same is true for waves on
the sea.
Now normally it takes hours for the surface of the water to calm after a
severe storm because the swell has built up. But Jesus calms these waves
instantly.
And after he flattened the sea, he said to his disciples: Why are you so
afraid? Do you still have no faith?
What are they afraid of now? Are they afraid of the storm? Its calm.
They were terrified and asked each other, Who is this? Even the
wind and the waves obey him! (Mark 4:41)
The disciples knew from their Old Testament that only Almighty God has the
power to control the astonishing forces of nature. They would have sung
psalms about this.
But its one thing to grow up singing about a God who can calm the wind and
waves. Its quite another to find yourself sitting in a boat with him having
rudely wakened him to ask him if he cares!
As they sit in the boat on the calmed sea, they begin to see what this mira-
cle means. He gets tired like us and falls fast asleep. But unlike us, he has a
word with the wind and waves, and they do as they are told. So the disciples
ask: Who is this?The answer is obvious: who else can Jesus be but God inhuman flesh?
But, remarkable as that is, in the next chapter the disciples witness something
even more astonishing
4. Jesus had power and authority over death
Read Mark 5:21-22]
Jairus is a key man in the community, a figure of honour and respect. Yet he
is flat on his face before Jesus.We see why in verse 23:
[Jairus] pleaded earnestly with him, My little daughter is dying.
Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed
and live.
Here is a dad who has always provided for his little girl. He has always pro-
tected her and done all he can for her, but now hes desperate. Imagine the
desperation and powerlessness you would feel if your own child was dying.
Thats the emotional intensity here.
Perhaps include a personal illustration here of your own experience ofA
death and how it severs relationships with people we dearly love.
So imagine Jairus relief when Jesus agrees to go with him. He knows that
Jesus has never failed to heal any illness.
But as they move off together, a lady comes to Jesus for help, and he stops to
talk to her. This lady had been ill for as long as Jairus daughter had been alive.
But Jairus must have been beside himself with anxiety because of this delay.
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Now pick up the story at verse 35:
Read Mark 5:35]
These men still call Jesus teacher. They all know about his amazing teach-
ing. Also that he could heal sickness and control the forces of nature. But
they think there is a limit to the authority of Jesus. They think that limit has
now been reached.
The men who bring the terrible news have seen the dead girl. So their view
is: Jesus may be a remarkable teacher. He may be able to make sick people
well, which was what we hoped he would do for us. But shes no longer sick,
shes dead. We dont need Jesus any more.
But listen to Jesus extraordinary words in verse 36:
Read Mark 5:36]
Jesus ignores what they say! As Jesus hears that this girl has died, it apparent-
ly makes no difference to his plans. He ignores the detail of her death!
Lets have a look and see what happened next:Read Mark 5:37-40a]
This is the laughter of scorn. Maybe, inwardly, you are laughing scornfully as
well at the thought of Jesus being able to do these things. But if this is true,
the implications are huge.
Jesus doesnt mean that the girl wasnt dead she was. But he knew that it
would be easier for him to bring her back to life than it is for you to wake a
sleeping teenager.
Why? Because he is the Son of God, and has power and authority over
death.Read Mark 5:40b-42]
Isnt this a lovely intimate scene? Jesus has put the mockers outside. And
Mum and Dad watch as he takes their daughters hand. Talitha koum!
which means: Little girl, I say to you, get up!. These were the words her
father would have used every morning to wake her up.
And her eyes open. She gets up! And Jesus says: Get her something to eat.
No wonder they were completely astonished. Wouldnt you be?
Now, if this is a man who has power over death, surely it would be madness
to ignore him to say: Im just not interested in this or This is boring or
Well thats fine for you to believe.
One day you and I are going to die. After the evidence weve just seen,
the question we must ask ourselves is this: Can I trust Jesus with my own
death?
But I have to say that Quiet! Be still!and Little girl get upare not the
most outrageous things Jesus says in Mark. For that we have to go back to
chapter 2.
5. Jesus had power and authority to forgive sin
Read Mark 2:1-12]
Ive had (or seen) some amazing interruptions when I have (or someone has)been speaking to groups.
Give an illustration of an interruption youve had while speaking to aA
group, or have seen happen to another speaker.
But this interruption just beats everything. The roof gets ripped up. Pieces fall
onto the crowd below. Then a shaft of daylight. Then it goes dark again as
the stretcher is lowered and this poor man comes down with it.
And then we have the first words Jesus says to the man: Son, your sins are
forgiven.
Why would Jesus say this? The obvious issue for this man is his paralysis. Youcan imagine him saying: Im sorry Jesus, its not my sins Im worried about,
its my pins. Its my legs. I cant walk! (Note: This is an opportunity to bring
in a bit of humour. But if using pins for legs doesnt work in your situa-
tion, leave it out.)
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But Jesus knows that the mans sin is a far more pressing problem than
his paralysis. To see why, we have to understand what the Bible means by
sin.
Sin isnt just doing wrong things; its not just lust or laziness or whatever.
No, the Bible says that sin is ignoring our Creator in the world he has made.
Its living the way we want, instead of the way he wants. And sin matters
because it gets in the way between us and God.
Jesus knows that our relationship with God is more important than anything
else. Thats why his focus is on the mans sin, rather than his legs.
But as we saw earlier, the religious leaders are furious. They know that only
God has the power and authority to forgive sin. If sin is ignoring God in the
world he has made, then only God has the right to forgive it. So they take it
for granted that Jesus must be lying.
But Jesus knows what they are thinking. So he says to them:
Read Mark 2:10-12]
The whole point of Jesus healing the man of doing that amazing creative
miracle is to reveal his true identity. To show that he isGod and that he
does have authority on earth to forgive sin.
Next time we will see that Jesus himself said that this is why he came. His
mission is to save sinners.
Conclusion
We heard earlier what happens when you get someones identity wrong.
Briefly (in one sentence) recap the illustration you used at theAbeginning of the talk.
Mark has given us five examples of evidence that point to the real identity
of Jesus. Weve seen his power and authority to teach; to heal the sick; to
control nature; to raise the dead; and to forgive sin. Weve seen that Jesus
acts in Gods world, with Gods authority.
So who is Jesus? Mark is showing us that Jesus is Gods Son, with the same
power and authority as God. And that he is Gods only chosen King. And
if this is who he is the question for us is: How have we been relating to
him?
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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Jesus tells us the uncomfortable truth in Marks Gospel. He says the reason
the world is not the way its supposed to be is because weare not the way
were supposed to be.
Imagine for a moment a huge public gallery. (Give an example of a galleryA
or public building nearby.) On the walls is a display about you. It shows
everything youve ever done and also every word youve said, and every
thought youve had. Nothing is left out its all there, for everyone to see.
Now Im sure there will be parts youre proud of: special achievements; suc-
cess at work or sport or music; times when youve helped others, or been
generous with your money.
But there will also be thousands of things that you dont want anyone to see.
Things youve done, or said, or thought that you wouldnt want anyone to
know about, not even your closest friend.
And its not only the things weve said, done and thought that are a problem.
There are also the things we should have done, and the words we should
have said.
I wonder how you would feel, knowing that all of that was exposed for eve-
ryone to see. For myself, if my life were on the walls for everyone to see, Id
be so ashamed. I wouldnt be able to look people in the eye. Could you, if
youre being honest?
So why are we like this? Why is there so much to be ashamed of? Jesus gives
us the answer in Mark chapter 7.
Read Mark 7:20-23]
What Jesus said is startling. Its like being shown an X-ray of our hearts. Not
an X-ray that shows bones, but one that shows who we are and what weare really like inside.
You may feel indignant about the things Jesus says here. Its not how people
usually talk about wrongdoing. We are used to hearing people in public life
calling the wrong things they have done a mistake. It gives the impression
that their adultery or stealing or lying or whatever wasnt intentional, it was
just someth ing that came upon them.
But Jesus says that is nonsense. Sin is not something that I come across out
there and unintentionally get caught up in. It is something I discover in here
(point to your heart). I can see it on the X-ray can you? We have to look
within and take responsibility for what we see. Jesus tells us that sin
rebelling against God and choosing to go our own way rather than his way
comes from within, from our hearts.
And see how Jesus includes all of us. He doesnt just mention immorality, theft,murder and adultery but also greed, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
Some sins make front-page headlines in this world. Some dont. But they are
all evil in Gods reckoning, and they all come from inside you and me! If we
could see the gallery of our lives on the walls, wed see that we all have a
heart problem.
Each of us has a heart problem. We often treat each other and our world in
a shameful way. But our problems dont end there, because we treat God in
that way too.
In Mark chapter 12, Jesus tells us how weshouldrelate to God:Read Mark 12:30]
If you dont have a heart problem if youre not a sinner then you will look
back on your life and see that you have loved God with all your heart, all
your soul, allyour mind, and allyour strength.
If youre not a sinful person, then there wont have been a single moment
when your life didnt joyfully centre on God and his glory.
But I see the gallery of my life, and I cant even find ten consecutive minutes
where I have treated God with the love and honour that is rightfully his.
We all have the same heart problem. We should love God with all our heart,soul, mind and strength - because he is our loving Creator. But we never
manage to do this.
Instead weve all rebelled against God. He is our loving Creator, but we
choose to live our lives our own way rather than his way. We give our hearts
to lots of things, but not to our Creator. The Bible calls this sin.
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2. Jesus came to cure our heart problem
So why did Jesus come? Marks Gospel tells us that Jesus came to cure our
heart problem: the problem of our sin.
In chapter 2, Mark tells us what happened when Jesus had dinner at Levis
house. Levi was a tax collector who worked for the Romans. He would have
been seen as a traitor by Jewish people, and as a sinner by the religiousleaders. So why is Jesus having a meal with him?
Read Mark 2:15-17]
There are two groups of people here in this passage the good guys and
the bad guys.
The good guys are the senior religious figures of the day the teachers of
the law and the Pharisees. They looked faultless in religious terms. The bad
guys are made up of people like Levi, the tax collector, and his friends.
The question is: Who would you expect Jesus to want to spend time with?
The religious types cant believe that Jesus has chosen to have a meal with
tax collectors and their friends. Surely he should be with the religious, not
the rebels.
But listen again to what Jesus says in verse 17. This is not a coincidence or a
mistake. This is intentional. He says:
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not
come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17).
Jesus is at Levis house on business. And his business is to be the doctor for
the spiritually sick. He hasnt come for those who think they are spiritually fit,
but for those who know that they are spiritual wrecks.
He says, if you think youre good, if you think youre spiritually healthy, then
you wont think you need him. Just as healthy people dont need doctors, so
people who think theyre good dont need Jesus. The qualification for coming
to Jesus is not being good enough but realizing that youre bad enough?
Jesus came for people who know they have a heart problem, and know they
need him to cure it.
3. Why does our heart problem matter so much?
Return to the illustration that you used at the start of the talk, andA
explain what would happen if you didnt take the warning seriously.
For example:
If the dentist diagnoses my problem, and explains in lurid detail the treat-
ment for it, I might thank him politely and make a run for it. I mightchoose to ignore the problem, unless I understand the consequences. So
its important that I understand what will happen if I dont take his warn-
ing seriously.
The same is true for us now. We need to understand why our heart problem
matters so much, and what the consequences are if we dont do anything
about it. And that brings us to one of the most disturbing passages in Marks
Gospel, where we discover what Jesus said about the seriousness of sin.
Read Mark 9:43-47]
Can you imagine a situation where it would be better to lose a hand than to
keep it? Better to lose one eye than to have two? Weve probably all seen
pictures of people whove lost arms or legs in accidents or wars. These are
shocking images.
So why is Jesus using such extreme language here? Why is he being so
shocking? Because he knows that if we reject God throughout our lives, then
ultimately God will be right to reject us. If our sin isnt dealt with, it will take
us to hell. Jesus lovingly warns us about hell because he does not want us
to go there.
In the 21st century many people either dismiss hell as a myth, or treat it as a
joke. They joke that theyd much rather be in hell than heaven, because alltheir friends will be in hell too, and it will be much more fun.
But theres no fun in hell. No friendship either. Hell means being totally sepa-
rated from Gods mercy and blessing. And completely cut off from all the
goodness God brings. God is the source of love, joy, friendship, kindness. So
in hell theres none of these things. Nothing good is there.
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Hell is the place where we face Gods judgment for our rebellion against him.
You can see why Jesus warns us about hell, and uses such strong language
to do so. He knows what hell is really like, and he doesnt want us to go
there.
Anyone who conducts funerals knows that people want to hear lots about
heaven, but we have no integrity unless we also talk about hell. Hell is the
consequence of sin. Weve already seen that we all have a heart problem. Weall sin. And that means were all in danger, whether we realize it or not. And
thats why Jesus came: to cure our heart problem and rescue us from the con-
sequences of our sin.
Return again to the illustration you used at the beginning. ForA
example:
I might like my dentist if he tells me my teeth are fine, and I can go on
eating lots of chocolate. But if he knows that is not the truth, he is not
being friendly. My dentist isnt being cruel when he tells me I have a rotten
cavity, and that it needs to be fixed. He doesnt say it to ruin my day, or
because he enjoys inflicting pain. Hes actually being kind. Hes warning
me about a problem while theres still time to do something about it. I can
choose to listen to him, or take no notice. But if I do ignore him, I know
that there will be consequences.
Jesus doesnt warn us about hell because hes being cruel. He doesnt say it
to ruin our day. He lovingly warns us about hell because he does not want us
to go there. He knows the consequences of our heart problem. And he loves
us so much that he came to save us from those consequences to rescue us
from our sin.
If you understand this, then youre beginning to see why Mark says that Jesus
is such good news! He didnt come to call the righteous, but sinners.
The question is: Are we going to listen to Jesus while theres still time to do
something about the problem?
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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4: THE CROSSWhy did Jesus die?
Deliver Talk 4 using the notes below. These notes can also beA
downloaded in Word format from www.ceministries.orgto enableyou to adapt them fo r your group and add your own il lustr ations.
There is a bulleted talk outline on pageA 28 of the participants
Handbook. Encourage people to write notes next to this outline as
they listen to the talk.
Aim
To explain the significance of the cross.
To explore the different reactions to Jesus death as recorded in MarksGospel.
To challenge group members to consider the implications of this for their
own lives.
Introduction
Let me begin with a question:
If you think for a moment of all the faiths and philosophies in the world, how
many of them celebrate the death of their founder? And how many of them
see the death of their founder as the most significant moment in history?
Im sure you know that Im talking about the Christian faith but I wanted to
ask the question to show how striking this is. The death of Jesus Christ on the
cross is at the very centre of Christianity. But think how strange that is.
Hold up a recent biography of someone famous who is no longerA
alive. (Libraries are a good source if you dont have anything suitable.)
Give one or two brief examples of things the biography tells us about
that persons life.
If you look at most biographies, the writers want to talk about their subjects
life. Their death is often an inevitable footnote.
Show how much of your sample biography is about the persons life,A
and how much (maybe just a couple of pages, or a paragraph) is about
their death.
And yet, in the four biographies of Jesus life the Gospels by Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John one third of each book is about Jesus death.
Not only that, but Christians never stop talking about the cross. This seems
particularly strange because crucifixion, the manner in which Jesus died, was
considered terribly shameful.
When someone was crucified, they were severely whipped, nailed to a wooden
cross, which was then hoisted into place with the victim attached, and left todie. Crucifixion was deliberately made cruel and gruesome so that any slave
who was thinking about rebellion would see the crucified victim and conclude
that it could never be worth the risk. It was the ultimate deterrent.
So why is the cross the universally-recognized symbol of Christianity? Chris-
tians could have chosen a manger to remind them of Jesus birth, or perhaps
a scroll to remind them of his amazing teaching. But no, its a cross a
reminder of his death. Why is this? The answer is simple. The cross is how
Jesus rescues people.
So today were going to look at:
what actually happened when Jesus died on the cross
what that means
and how people reacted to it.
But first well remind ourselves of why people need to be rescued.
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How I treat you matters to God. How you treat me matters to God. And how
we treat the world matters to God. And for some of you whove been badly
treated by other people, I want you to know that it matters to God.
Surely if we care about the injustices we see in the world, we cant expect our
loving Creator to care less than we do. And a God who cares about injustice
is right to be angry about sin, and right to punish it.
So, as Jesus was dying on the cross, darkness came over the whole land. It
was a supernatural sign of Gods anger. But that leaves us with a question:
What does this have to do with Jesus?
2. Jesus was abandoned
In verse 34, Mark tells us something that Jesus said shortly before he died:
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi,
lama sabachthani? which means, My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me? (Mark 15:34)
Now there is no doubt that Jesus suffered physical agony on the cross. But
what is being spoken about here is spiritual agony being forsaken or aban-
doned by God.
As we read Marks account of the crucifixion and hear this cry from Jesus, we
begin to see that on the cross Jesus was in some way forsaken or aban-
doned by God, as God punished sin. God was focusing his anger over our sin
on Jesus. Jesus was taking the punishment we deserve.
But Jesus had led a sinless life. In our very first session we read about John the
Baptist baptizing Jesus. Mark tells us that God the Fathers voice was heard
at that time saying:
You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.
(Mark 1:11)
And in a later part of Marks Gospel, Gods voice is again heard. This time
God says:
This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him! (Mark 9:7)
Jesus never sinned he always perfectly obeyed the will of God. The signifi-
cance of that is enormous as we think about his death on the cross. We have
seen that God is angry at our sin. Weve now seen that God is punishing
Jesus. But clearly Jesus was not being punished for his own sin.
So why was God punishing him? And why did Jesus allow himself to be sub-
jected to this? The answer is that Jesus went through all of th is on our behalf,
so that we can be rescued. He came to give his life as a ransom for many.
Use the following illustration to explain what happened as Jesus diedA
on the cross.
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What to do What to say
Hold up a blank
DVD case in your right
hand.
Think back to the public gallery where your whole life is
displayed on the walls. They show everything you have
ever done, said and thought. Now imagine that everything
from that display has been recorded onto this DVD.
Theres lots of stuff on here that looks great to us. Perhaps
theres a loving home, selfless acts, achievements andsuccess. But there is also a lot on this DVD that youre
ashamed of. Things youd rather people didnt see. We all
have secrets that we would hate to have exposed.
The Bible says:
Nothing in all creation is hidden from Gods
sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare
before the eyes of him to whom we must give
account (Hebrews 4:13).
And its not just the way weve treated others, but also the
way weve treated God that is recorded.
Hold your left hand
out, with your palm
facing the ceiling.
Now lets suppose that my left hand represents me, and
the ceiling represents God. Between God and me is the
record of my sin, and it separates me from God.
Take the DVD and put
it flat on your hand.
My sin cuts me off from God. But let me illustrate what
happened at the cross.
What to do What to say
Hold out your right
hand, facing up. Your
left hand should still
have the DVD.
Suppose that my right hand represents Jesus and
remember that the ceiling represents God. Jesus lived a
sinless life. He always perfectly obeyed the will of God
so there was no barrier between him and God.
But Jesus said that he came to give his life as a ransom
for many. So when he was on the cross, he took my
sin.
Now transfer the DVD
from the left hand to
the right hand.
Thats why Jesus cried out: My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me? as he hung on the cross. It wasnt
his sin that had separated him from God, because Jesus
had never sinned. No, it was our sin that made him feel
forsaken by God.
In those agonizing moments, Jesus was taking upon
himself all the punishment that our sin, everything on this
DVD, deserves. He gave himself up as a substitute, to be
punished on our behalf.
The Bible says:
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us
has turned to his own way; and the LORD has
laid on him the iniquity of us all(Isaiah 53:6).
Jesus died as my substitute, in my place, taking the
punishment I deserve.
Refer to your left
hand, now empty, still
facing upwards.
How much sin is left? (Wait for an answer dont worry
if its a long pause. That will make the point even more
clearly.)Yes thats right, zero. In fact, this is shocking; I can
be as sinless in Gods sight as Jesus himself!
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3. We can be accepted
Lets look again at verses 37 and 38.
Read Mark 15:3738]
Mark records the exact moment of Jesus death but then he turns our
attention to something that happens simultaneously at the temple, which is
on the other side of the city. He wants us to understand that the two events
are connected in some way.
There was a thirty-foot high curtain in the temple, which was as thick as the
span of a mans hand. (Hold up your hand to show how thick the curtain
was.)When Jesus died, this curtain was torn from top to bottom. Why is that
significant?
Well, this thick curtain used to hang in the temple, dividing the people from
the place where God was said to live. The curtain was like a big Do not
enter sign. It said loudly and clearly that it is impossible for sinful people like
you and me to walk into Gods presence.
Then, suddenly, as Jesus died on the cross, God ripped this curtain in two,
from top to bottom. Its as if God is saying: The way is now open for people
to approach me. And thats only possible because Jesus had just paid the
price for our sin. Jesus had died as the ransom for many.
Thats what was happening on the cross. Jesus was dying as our substitute,
being punished for our sin, so that we can be rescued. Because of the cross,
the way is now open for people to approach God. You can see why the cross,
the reminder of Jesus death, is the symbol of Christianity.
But what about the people who were there when Jesus died? How did they
respond to Jesus death on the cross?
Four reactions to Jesus death
Mark brings our attention to the way various people react to the death of
Jesus. As we look at these reactions, ask yourself what you see when you look
at Jesus death and how you respond.
1. The soldiers
Verse 24 tells us about the soldiers who had nailed Jesus to the cross.
Read Mark 15:24]
The soldiers werent interested in what was happening on the cross they
had seen it all before. The only thing they were interested in was gambling
for Jesus clothes. They completely missed what was happening right in frontof their eyes. For them the main legacy of the cross was Jesus clothing.
2. The religious leaders
The religious leaders had wanted for a long time to have Jesus killed. They
watched him die, laughing about it among themselves.
Read Mark 15:31-32]
The religious leaders were convinced that they knew the way to God, so they
didnt need Jesus. They knew that some people thought that Jesus was the
Christ, Gods only chosen King but the chief priests and teachers of the law
refused to believe that.Ironically they mocked Jesus, claiming that he couldnt save himself and
completely missing the point that he was actually dying to save others, just
as he had said he would.
3. Pontius Pilate
So the religious leaders rejected Jesus but what about the political leader?
What about the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate? He had questioned Jesus
himself, and knew that Jesus was an innocent man. But Pilate was swayed
by the crowds.
Read Mark 15:12-15
]Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. But when the pressure was on, he gave
in. Instead of releasing Jesus, as he knew was right, he gave in to the crowds
and had Jesus crucified.
By showing us these different reactions its as if Mark is saying: OK, this is
how others reacted to Jesus death on the cross. But what about you? What
do you see when you look at the cross?
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Are we too busy like the soldiers?
Too self-righteous like the religious leaders?
Too cowardly like Pilate?
But theres one more response to look at
4. The Roman centurion
Mark records the reaction of a Roman centurion a hard-bitten soldier who
was a high-ranking military officer. He would have seen many men die but
he had never seen a man die like this. This is how Mark describes it:
Read Mark 15:39]
And that is what we are meant to see as we look at what happened at the
cross. We can recognize that Jesus is telling the truth: that he is indeed the
Son of God. And that his death is Gods amazing plan to rescue us from our
sin.
There has never been better news than this. The gospel message tells me the
terrible truth about myself about my heart problem that I cannot cure. But
then it tells me the wonderful news about Jesus dying for sinners, to give his
life as a ransom for many.
So the question is: What do you make of all this? And what will you do with
your sin?
Will you take it with you to the grave, and insist that you pay for it your-
self?
Or will you take it to the cross to be forgiven?
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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So lets see what Mark tells us about the resurrection of Jesus, starting with
some women who had watched him die.
Read Mark 15:40 16:3]
If possible, show the following four headings as a visual aid as youA
give the talk, revea ling each heading as you reach it :
Dead and buried1.
Alive and well2.
Ruling as King3.
Go and tell4.
1. Dead and buried
These women knew Jesus well. We learn in verse 41 that they had cared for
Jesus and looked after his needs. And now they watched his gruesome death,
and saw where his body was buried.
Jesus was buried by a man called Joseph of Arimathea. He went to the
Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, and rather bravely asked permission to bury
the body.
Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus had died already. So he checked the
facts. He asked the Roman centurion if Jesus was in fact dead and the
centurion confirmed that it was true. So Pilate agreed that Joseph could take
the body.
Joseph took the lifeless, bloodied body down from the cross, wrapped it in
linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Jesus Christ was dead and
buried.
But now it was 36 hours later on the Sunday morning, and these three griev-
ing women came to do what they imagined was the last loving thing they
could do for him. They came to embalm his corpse.
Some time after dark the previous evening, when the Jewish Sabbath was
over and the shops were opening again, they had gone and bought some
spices. Their idea was to put them on the linen that the body was wrapped
in, as a last loving act, to mask the smell of decay.
So they got up first thing the next morning, and set off to the tomb. They
already knew where to go because they had seen the burial of Jesus.
As they made their way to the grave, they discussed the barrier they were
going to face that morning. They had seen Joseph roll the very large stone
across the entrance to the tomb, and wondered who might roll the stone
away again so that they could put their spices on the body. It would have
been too heavy for them to move themselves even harder than one of us
trying to lift a piano on our own.
You might include a personal illustration here of visiting a grave ofA
someone you knew and loved. You know you wont see that person
there; you know that they are dead; but you go to remember them,
and maybe put some flowers on the grave.
Thats how it was for the women that morning, because they knew just like
the Roman centurion that Jesus was dead and buried.
2. Alive and well
Lets have a look at the next part of chapter 16 to see what happened when
the women reached the tomb.
Read Mark 16:4-8]
The women were given two staggering shocks which left them trembling
and bewildered(v 8), and they fled from the tomb. The Greek word trans-
lated as fled is the word used for escaping from a wild animal. If you can
imagine how youd feel being chased by a bull or a pack of wolves, then youknow how these women felt!
If you have a personal illustration of being chased by an animal, useA
it briefly here. eg: I was chased by an angry dog once, and was
terrified. Thats how these women felt.
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The first shock comes in verse 4 when the women arrive and find that the
stone in front of the tomb has been dealt with. The huge heavy stone has
been flung away from the entrance.
The second shock is that theres no need for the spices theyve spent so much
money on. The barrier has been removed and the body isnt there.
Then the young man dressed in a white robe who is clearly a messenger
from God says this:
Dont be alarmed You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who
was crucified (Mark 16:6).
So he confirmed that a man from Nazareth, called Jesus, whose death the
women had seen, had been crucified and was buried there. He says:
See the place where they laid him.
They were not imagining this, they were not in the wrong place thats the
place where Jesus was laid. They were not dreaming it really happened. But
its not the end of the story.
The messenger says: You can see the place, you can see the discarded grave
clothes, but you wont see him. Hes not here. He is risen!
But thats not the end of the young mans news. He has a message for the
disciples one that can only be true if Jesus really has risen from the dead.
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into
Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you (Mark 16:7).
One of the predictions we looked at in our Explore study earlier was Jesus
telling his disciples that he would rise to li fe, and then go to Galilee, where they
would join him. Now the young man in white is telling the women the same
thing. The risen Jesus would meet the disciples, including Peter, in Galilee.
Mark ends his book with the reaction of the women. But the other three
Gospels, and the book of Acts, fill in some of the things that happened after
the resurrection. They tell us that Jesus appeared to his disciples on at least
ten separate occasions after his death. He also appeared to more than 500
people at the same time.
Now, at this point you may find it hard to believe what Mark tells us about
the resurrection. Or perhaps you dismiss everything the Bible says about the
amazing things Jesus said and did. We all know that bringing life to a corpse
is something that human science and power cant do. But we should not
reject the resurrection of the dead on the grounds that we cant do it.
Please dont discard the plain teaching of the Bible about Jesus dying and
rising on the basis that if we cant do it, it cant be done. As we meet Jesus inMarks Gospel we hear and see things that are well beyond our comprehen-
sion and ability. But thats what you would expect when God the Son
comes into the world he has created.
But if you havent seen who Jesus is as he teaches and calls and heals and
controls and raises from death and forgives sins then of course you will not
believe he can be raised from death.
Mark doesnt rose-tint the reactions of the original hearers of the news
that Jesus had risen. The women had seen Jesus brutally executed 36 hours
earlier. They react to the news that he is alive again with bewilderment and
fear. Mark doesnt downplay their struggle to comprehend what they are
being told about Jesus. Because this is history this happened!
3. Ruling as King
Think about all of the things that were done to Jesus before and as he died.
People betrayed him, rejected him, mocked him, spat on him, flogged him,
and killed him. These things show what those people thought of Jesus. He
was worthless to them. They attached no value to his life.
But the resurrection shows that God has reversed that verdict. He places ulti-
mate worth on his Son. God did not leave Jesus where men had laid him. No,
the startling news came: He is risen!God thinks differently about his Son.
People rejected him God has lifted him up. This was always the plan.
It was because of this that the man from heaven said in verse 7:
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into
Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.
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Jesus always spoke about the certainty of his resurrection when he spoke
about his death. What a picture this is of the sovereign power of Jesus the
King. Who else could be in such control of every aspect of his death and
resurrection?
Its almost as though Jesus had been saying to his followers: Were going to
have a really tough time, and you will see me die but I am rising on Sunday,
and we will all meet up in Galilee on Monday as planned.
Anyone could say these words, but only a King of staggering power could
make them happen!
So the resurrection of Jesus reverses the worlds verdict on Jesus. It shows that
he is Gods exalted Son and King who was always in sovereign control, even
as he was being rejected by the Jews, abandoned by the disciples, brutalised
by the Romans, and forsaken by God on the cross as He paid for my sin.
The women had come to pay their last loving tribute to a dead body; to
anoint a corpse. They thought that everything had finished in this tragedy as
Christ was murdered and their hopes were shattered.
But now those three words He has risen change everything.
4. Go and tell
We have seen how uncompromisingly honest Mark is in his record of what
happened that day. Mark 16:8 tells us that, at least initially, the women were
so completely overwhelmed that they ran for their lives and said nothing.
Nevertheless, you can see that this news of the resurrection needs to be told.
Gods messenger had said:
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of you into
Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you. (Mark 16:7)
In other words, the news is: Jesus is alive, and you are going to meet him,
just as he said.
If possible, show this statement as a visual aid:A
The news is: Jesus is alive, and you are going to meet him, just as
he said.
How could anyone say that the Christian message is irrelevant to them? We
are all in that queue we will all have to face death. Yet here is Jesus who
walked out of the grave to lead those who trust him out of the grave too.
The news of the resurrection is utterly wonderful. It means death didnt
destroy Jesus; he suffered it, and then destroyed it by rising. This news is
amazing and wonderful.
But this is the point where it gets uncomfortable for all of us. I am uncomfort-
able, because I have to tell you something, and I am concerned that you do
not mishear me. And you will be uncomfortable as you listen, because the
resurrection of Jesus has another implication.
So let me say it again, and then explain it. This news of the resurrection must
be told. The news is: Jesus is alive, and you aregoing to meet Him, just as
He said.
Do you see the inescapable implication of the resurrection for everyone? It is
not just the disciples who will see Jesus again we all will.
In Acts 17, when the apostle Paul was speaking in Athens, he said that God
has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has
appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the
dead (Acts 17:31).
The resurrection of Jesus brings hope in the face of death. But it also promises
that Jesus Christ has the power and the right to raise us and judge us. There
will be an end point in history, where Jesus returns to this world which is
still in rebellion against him and ends that rebellion. There must come a day
when God shows that the despised Jesus is his beloved, exalted Son, King
and Judge.
Now that is a terrifying prospect if you, like me, know how badly you have
treated the Lord Jesus.
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Hold up the DVD from last weeks illustration, and remind theA
group that this holds a record o f eve ryth ing we have done, said and
thought.
But let me close by showing you from Mark 16 how you can be ready and
unashamed to meet Jesus when he returns.
Mark 16:7 says: But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He is going ahead of
you into Gali lee. There you will see him, just as he told you.
Hold up the DVD again.A
What was on Peters DVD? The disciples had all fled from Jesus at the critical
time. But Peter had denied even knowing him. This is the man who argued
in Mark 8 that Jesus should not go to the cross. But notice how, after Peters
failure, the risen Jesus sends a particular message to Peter.
Peter would have thought his failure was final. But the risen Lord Jesus has
died for sins, and says that Peter is welcome.
Even though, like Peter, we have denied God and made a mess of our rela-
tionship with him, Jesus paid for that sin on the cross. And now he lives as
the resurrection proves to forgive all those who will trust him.
The resurrection proves that God has accepted the death of Jesus in my place,
in full and final payment for my personal rebellion against him. Jesus gave
his life as a ransom for many, just as he said he would. He died to pay for
our sin, and rose again to prove that sin was truly paid for. The ransom price
has been paid.
So this is the message that everyone needs to hear: Jesus is alive, and you are
going to meet him, just as he said.
But you can meet him before then, by faith. And as you thank him for dyingfor you, ask his forgiveness for your sin, and put your life in his hands, you
can go through life with no fear of death or judgment because Jesus faced
it for you.
Because of the resurrection, we can trust Jesus with our own death. And
because he is alive, you can speak to him yourself right now.
Either give a quick personal testimony about meeting Jesus by faithA
and speaking to him yourself and how real and transforming that
is.
Or suggest that people can ask you or one of the other leaders about
this at the end of the session if they want to find out more.
Let me end by saying again that this is the message that everyone needs to
hear: Jesus is alive, and you aregoing to meet him, just as he said.
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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6: GRACEHow can God accept us?
Deliver Talk 6 using the notes below. These notes can also beA
downloaded in Word format from www.ceministries.org to enable
you to adapt them fo r your group and add your own il lustr ations.
There is a bulleted talk outline on pageA 43 of the participants
Handbook. Encourage people to write notes next to this outline as
they listen to the talk.
This talk uses 14 large cards (or sheets of paper) as visual aids. LeaveA
one card blank. Write the following on the remaining cards (or
download a set from www.ceministries.org):
Set A: Set B:
Im a good person Im a spiritual person
I dont steal I try to treat others as I like to be
treated myself
I dont lie Ive been baptised
I give to charity I go to church
I give blood I go to communion
Im not a murderer I read the Bible
Im not a rapist
Aim
To show that we can never do enough to inherit eternal life
To explain God grace his undeserved gift to us
To look at the implications of this for how group members respond to God
Introduction
At the beginning of Christianity Exploredwe asked you this:
If you could ask God one question, and you knew it would be answered,
what would it be?
Now Id like you to think about another question. This time its something
that God might ask you:
If God were to say to you: Why should I give you eternal life?, what would
you say?
Take a few moments to think quietly about your answer.
(Optional) You might like to ask group members to write theirA
answers down, assuring them that they wont be asked to read them
out. If you do this, give the group an opportunity to think about the
question again at the beginning of the Discuss section after this
talk, since they may want to change their answers.
I wonder what your answer was. Some answers people may give are as follows:
Hold up the cards from Set A one at a time. This works well if youA
hold up the whole set, and then move each card in turn from the
front to the back.
Or maybe yours is a more religious answer:
Hold up the cards from Set B one at a time. Then put the cards downA
in a pile to use again later.
The question of eternal life is one that many people think about at some
point in their lives. Id guess that you probably wouldnt still be doing this
course if you werent interested in knowing the answer.
In Mark 10 we discover some crucial things about eternal life. And we also
find it described in a number of different ways: having treasure in heaven,
entering the kingdom of God, being saved. All of these mean being
accepted by God as a member of his kingdom now, and looking forward to
enjoying a relationship with him for ever.
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In Mark 10 we meet a man who really wanted to know how to have eternal
life. Mark tells us that this man had great wealth. Two other Bible writers
help us to build a picture of him: Matthew tells us that he is young, and Luke
adds the detail that he is a ruler of some kind.
So this man seems to have everything going for him. Hes young; despite
his youth hes already an important man; and hes very wealthy. But he has
a crucial question to ask Jesus about something he knows he doesnt have eternal life.
Read Mark 10:17]
Notice two things this young man says to Jesus: he calls Jesus Good teacher
and he asks what he has to doto inherit eternal life. Jesus picks up on both
of these as he helps this man to understand some very important things.
The problem with being good
Firstly, Jesus focuses on the title Good teacher.
Read Mark 10:18]
Maybe the man was just being polite. He knew Jesus had built a reputation
as someone who taught with authority, and whose teaching was completely
different from that of the religious leaders. And he clearly respected Jesus as
a man of God so much so that he fell on his knees before Jesus. So maybe
Good teacher was his way of showing respect for Jesus.
But Jesus chose to use the title to teach this man and also the disciples, who
were listening in. No-one is good except God alone,he said. Notice what
Jesus is notsaying. Hes not denying his deity hes not saying that he isnt
Gods Son. Jesus is indeed good. But he is also using this title to challengehow most people see themselves.
Its easy to compare ourselves to someone who is dishonest, or violent, or a
sex offender, and to decide that compared to them were basically good. We
use the word good when we mean not as bad as.
Give an illustration of someone currently in the news for fraud, sexA
offences, murder etc. Explain that one reason the media have focused
so st rongly on this person is because were shocked at their level of
wrongdoing. Compared to them, most of us would say that we live
good l ives.
But Jesus shows that were comparing ourselves to the wrong person. The
question isnt whether were better than ________ (the person youve justspoken about). The issue is how we match up to God himself. He is genuinely
and completely good. He is perfectly just, perfectly wise, perfectly pure and
perfectly loving. As Jesus puts it: No-one is good except God alone.
Now it seems likely that this man did consider himself to be good. Lets see
how Jesus draws that out of him.
Read Mark 10:19-20]
The laws Jesus gives here come from the ten commandments. These were
ten laws that God gave to Moses to show the Israelites how to live as Gods
people. The commands Jesus quotes are all about how we relate to those
around us. There were also commands about how to relate to God, which
Jesus will come to later.
The rich young man was very confident about his ability to keep Gods com-
mands. He declared: All these I have kept since I was a boy.
Hold up the full set of cards (Sets A and B together) again.A
His answer would have been some of the things weve seen on these cards.
In other words, hed treated people well. He had never murdered anyone, or
committed adultery. He wasnt a thief, a cheat or a liar. He was a good son
to his mum and dad. He was supremely confident that hed lived a good life,
keeping Gods laws.
If God were to say to this man: Why should I give you eternal life?, thats
the answer the man would give.
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We cant do anything to earn eternal life. We cant work our way into the
kingdom of God. Nothing we do can cure our heart problem. We cant do
anything ourselves in order to be saved. But we can receive it as a free gift
paid for by the death of Jesus.
Our entry point to Gods kingdom is not the good things weve done for God.
Rather, its the amazing thing Christ has done for us. Its not about getting
what we think we have earned, but rather it is about us receiving from Godthe opposite of what we deserve. The Bible calls this grace Gods unde-
served gift to us. And like a child, all we can do is receive it.
Conclusion
This is the good news that Mark wrote about at the very beginning of his
book: the good news about Jesus Christ.
Jesus shows us that we are all sinful. We all have a heart problem that we
cant cure. He tells us that there is nothing we can do to be saved. But he also
showed how much he loves us by willingly dying to take the punishment wedeserve, to give his life as a ransom for many. And as a result, when we trust
in what Jesus has done, we can be accepted by God and be given eternal
life if we will just receive it as a free, undeserved gift.
Thats grace that we are more sinful than we ever imagined, but more loved
than we ever dreamed.
And the impact of grace on our lives nowis enormous. Living by grace means
I dont need to go through life pretending to be what Im not or wearing
masks to disguise who I am. When I understand Gods grace, I have nothing
to prove and no masks to wear any more. God knows exactly what Im like. I
cant hide it from him. And yet, amazingly, in Christ he accepts and loves me.
That is so liberating. It is such good news!
Thats grace.
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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DAY AWAY 1: THE SOWERListen carefully
Deliver Day Away Talk 1 using the notes below. These notes can beA
downloaded in Word format from www.ceministries.orgto enable
you to adapt them fo r your group and add your own il lustr ations.
There is a bulleted talk outline on pageA 50 of the participants
Handbook. Encourage people to write notes next to this outline as
they listen to the talk.
Aim
To show that the good news of Jesus will only change your life if you hear
it properly.
To challenge group members to consider what kind of soil they are.
Introduction
The whole Christianity Exploredcourse is built around the three big questions
Mark is fascinated by: Who is Jesus? Why did he come? What is involved in
following him?. In the first two sessions we explored who Jesus is. Then in
Sessions 3-5 we saw why Jesus came. The question from Session 6 on is:
How should we respond? What does Jesus ask of us?
In order to answer that question we need to get something very basic in place:
Have we heard what Jesus says? Has his word taken root in our lives?
That is the issue in Mark chapter 4. Jesus tells a story that pictures his extraor-
dinary, life-changing words as tiny, vulnerable seeds. What Jesus is saying is
clear. Just as seeds will only grow if you plant them properly, so the good
news about him will only change your life if you hear it properly.
Read Mark 4:3-9]
I dont know if you realized it, but you had a walk-on part in that story.
Everyone who has ever heard the good news the gospel message about
Jesus appears in it. Its as if Jesus is holding up a mirror so that we can see
ourselves reflected back.
The main focus of the parable is not on the sower, or the seed. Jesus focuses
on the soil. It is all about where the seed lands the way that people respond
to hearing the gospel message, and how Satan interferes with Gods word to
prevent it from making its impact.
Jesus likens us to four different types of soil the seed falls on the hard soil
on the path, the shallow soil on the rock, the soil in which thorns grow, and
lastly good soil. Each of us receives the good news in a different way. And
Jesus wants us to ask ourselves the question: How am I responding to the
gospel? What kind of soil am I?
Hard ground
The first type of soil is in verse 4: the path, where the soil is hard. The fields in
ancient Israel were long, narrow strips divided by little paths. Over the years,
the constant traffic of footsteps, hooves and wheels turned these paths as
hard as concrete. So if seeds fell here, theyd never go deep into the soil
theyd just bounce off and remain on the surface.
When the seed falls on this hard ground, the birds immediately come and eat
it up.
Jesus explains in verse 15 that some people, as they hear the good news
about Jesus, are just like that hardened path:As soon as they hear i t, Satan comes and takes away the word that
was sown in them (Mark 4:15).
You may never have taken the person of Satan, the devil, seriously before.
You may have thought he was a mythical figure from fairy tales. But the
Bible says he is utterly real. All the way through Marks Gospel we see Jesus
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encountering him and defeating his power. And here Jesus warns usto take
Satan seriously, and to be aware of the subtlety of his work. Satans aim is
always to stop the gospel message from being properly heard, and to take it
from us immediately if possible.
The person who is like this first type of soil, the path, may be a hardened
sceptic who immediately rejects anything that challenges their own ideas.
Or it may simply be someone who is easily distracted. Satan loves to distract
us with thoughts about work, family, finance or hobbies. If he can only dis-
tract you so that the word of God goes in one ear and out the other, he will
have successfully taken away Gods message and blocked its impact on you.
Add a personal i llus trat ion about someone rejec ting or beingA
distracted from the gospel message. For example:
I took a friend along to a meeting to hear a well-known speaker explain
the gospel. At the end of the evening when I asked him for his thoughts
on what was said, he explained that he couldnt take anyone seriously who
had an accent like that speaker! He had switched off immediately.
There is a large, yellow sign chained to a lamppost just off Oxford Circus in
central London. In black writing it bears this message...
Thieves operate in this area. You are not obliged to be their victim.
Guard your valuables!
As we begin our day together, I want to issue the same warning. There is a
thief among us who wants to take from you not your wallet, purse or car
keys but the word of God. There is a risk of us going home at the end of the
day with an empty head and heart, because everything of lasting significance
has been stolen from us. Satan is like a thief who wants to take the gospel
message from you.
Do you recognize the possibility that so far the truth of the gospel message, the
power of Gods word, has fallen on hard ground in your life? If you cant really
remember much from the course, and if little of what we have seen about Jesus
has made an impact on you, then you have been robbed of the truth. Please
talk to me, or your group leader, if you are concerned about this.
But the thief is not limited to an immediate snatch. Sometimes he works more
gradually slowly, secretly, taking the seed of Gods word from our lives.
Shallow ground
In Israel, some of the land has a thin layer of soil lying on the top of limestone
bedrock. If seed falls there, the sun heats the soil quickly because its so shal-low, and the seed responds at once. The immediate growth is spectacular.
But the bedrock only a few inches below means theres nothing for the roots
to go down into, and no way for the plant to get moisture. So it quickly
dies.
That is what Jesus had in mind in verse 5. And he explains it in verses
16-17:
Read Mark 4:16-17]
This person responds quickly and joyfully to the gospel message. But then
trouble or persecution come as a result at which point they fall away, theygive up on following Jesus.
It is amazing to see how candid Jesus is. He fully expects and warns us that
trouble and persecution will come. Jesus himself was rejected, and his follow-
ers will be too. That can be very painful.
This trouble is a bit like the side-effects you get with some medications. Many
life-saving treatments bring with them some pretty awful side-effects.
Give a personal illustration of someone (yourself?) experiencingA
distressing side-effects from life-saving treatment such as
chemotherapy.
There are times when the patient undergoing treatment may wonder if the
cure is worse than the condition. But to give up on the life-saving treatment
because of the temporary side-effects would be to give up on life.
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youve really heard him. And from tiny beginnings, as the seed of Gods word
begins to grow in our lives, changes are made that last for eternity.
In a cemetery in Italy there is a thick marble slab over the top ofA
one of the graves. But, somehow, years earlier, an acorn had fallen
through a small crack into the grave. And over the years the acorn
had grown until eventually it had smashed through the surface of the
hard marble and cracked the enormous slab into two pieces. As thetree grew up, it just pushed the marble aside as if it wasnt there.
Theres a lot of power packed into that seed. All it needed was the right kind
of soil. The gospel message, though it may seem small and weak, has the
power to break through any human heart if only we will listen and act on
what we hear.
There may be areas of your heart you think are impenetrable, unreachable
and unchangeable. There may be self-image problems, battles with addiction
or alienation or abuse. You may feel trapped by all kinds of darkness inside
you, things you feel you cant even admit. Let this parable give you hope. As
you can see, theres a lot of power packed into that seed.
Ask a leader (maybe the same one) to give a three-minute testimonyA
at this point about the power and impact of Gods word in their lives.
And let this parable make you treasure the word of God, the seed that is
sown. The gospel message tells us that Jesus Christ has fully paid the price
for sin on the cross, so the way is now open for us to know God and enjoy
him forever, if only we will hear, accept and trust him.
But that is not a passive thing. Its not something that will just happen regard-
less of whether or not we choose to act on what we hear. The thief wants
the seed of Gods word to come to nothing in your life. Beware of the thief.Know his tactics. Recognize his activity. Thieves operate in this area. You are
not obliged to be their victim. Guard your valuables!
And as you hear Gods word today, will you accept it, welcome it, treasure
it?
Copyright 2011 Christianity Explored www.ceministries.org
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